AFTER a July 31 consultation with school principals and vendors, the 37-member Quezon City council is batting for the review of the list of banned junk food and drinks in public schools.
“Everybody agrees that the ordinance is fine. Everybody is supporting it. It is the implementing rules and regulations where the list of banned food items is stated that is the problem,” said Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte, the council’s presiding officer, on Wednesday.
Belmonte said she received position papers from the school principals, who said they “were not happy” with the manner of implementation of the ordinance.
“We consulted a third-party nutritionist who pointed out that some of the food items banned—like yogurt —are healthy and can be allowed,” she said.
In 2017, Mayor Herbert Bautista approved the Anti-Junk Food and Sugary Drinks Ordinance prohibiting the selling and promotion of junk food, sugary drinks and processed foods to preparatory, elementary and high school students inside and within 100 meters from school premises of public and private schools.
“All 109 principals or school representatives who attended agreed to our suggestion that, since the list is not really thoroughly reviewed by the authorized representative [of the school] during a consultation, we will review the list and the manner of the inspection,” District 4 Councilor Irene Belmonte said.
The council hopes to work with the city health department to resolve the issues related with the ordinance within the month.